Nearly half of Kenyan university students have abused drugs in their lifetime - NACADA

Titled Status of Drugs and Substance Use Among University Students in Kenya, the report sought to find the extent of drugs and substance abuse among Kenyan campus students last year. 

45.6 per cent of students acknowledged having at least abused one drug or substance in their lifetime.

This comprised alcohol (40.5 per cent), cigarettes (13.4 per cent), shisha (10.9 per cent), vapes (8.5 per cent) and nicotine pouches (4.6 per cent). 

Miraa was also prevalent among students (10.1 per cent), muguka (9.9 per cent), cannabis smoked (14.9 per cent) and cannabis edibles (11.9 per cent). 

In the past 30 days, at least 26.6 per cent of students had engaged in drug and substance abuse. 

More students in private universities (35.1 per cent) had engaged in drug and substance abuse as opposed to public universities (22.6 per cent). 

Further, private university students had a higher prevalence of severe depression than those in public universities. 

The major risk factors that attributed students to abusing drugs included the inability to cope with stressful situations, unresolved childhood trauma, Gender-Based Violence, gambling and having a boyfriend/girlfriend or role model already using the drugs. 

Some mitigation measures recommended included guidance and counselling services, mentorship programmes, affordable rehabilitation services, parental monitoring and sensitisation efforts across all institutions.

"The university management through the relevant department needs to establish vibrant recovery communities that celebrate sobriety integrated with a strong component of continuous emotional and social support services for students on the recovery path," the report read in part.